UK may have been better to Remain

A major Brexit funder has claimed the UK may have been better to stay in the EU as he denied the source of his campaign funding was Russian.

Arron Banks, who is currently subject to a criminal probe over his donations to the Leave.EU campaign, attacked the “sewer” of British politics as he faces questions as to the origin of the money.

The businessman is being investigated by the National Crime Agency (NCA) after the UK’s elections watchdog found “reasonable grounds to suspect” he was “not the true source” of £8m loaned to an organisation that ran the Leave.EU group.

Mr Banks’ funding of the Brexit campaign is the biggest donation in British political history.

In a series of TV interviews on Sunday, Mr Banks fiercely defended himself in the face of the NCA action, as he attacked a “witch hunt” against Brexiteers.

“There was no Russian money and no interference of any type,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.

“I want to be absolutely clear about that.”

Mr Banks also suggested he had changed his mind on Brexit, adding: “The corruption I have seen in British politics – the sewer that exists and the disgraceful behaviour of the government over what they are doing with Brexit and how they are selling out – means that if I had my time again I think we would have been better to probably Remain and not unleash these demons.”

He later confirmed to Sky News the source of the loan to the Leave.EU campaign was Rock Services, which he described as a UK company that generated funds in the UK.